Campaigns and initiatives of mass human team effort mix with the collaborative power of digital platforms and systems such as Angie’s List, Craigslist, Didx, Kamailio, Kickstarter, Linux, SMS, and WordPress. What can not be done with just technology or just people … can be reality when combining the two. Sometimes the results seem like nothing new or worthy of attention, but they do save time, money and/or lives and promote aesthetics, change, health and/or business. These systems and platforms are a quiet power behind groups of successful people and organizations.

/Crowdring, a mobile organising tool, that enables people (no matter where they are in the world and no matter what kind of cell phone they use) to sign a petition for free. It doesn’t require any app or phone credit to use, and can work on any mobile phone, including the most basic GSM model. As of February 18, 2013, they have 57 Kickstarter backers with 26 days to go to meet their financial fundraising goal.

A-1 Express Delivery Services, Inc. provides bike messenger services and congressional and judicial stand-in and seat-holding services. It keeps its customers updated and informed throughout each service via SMS, instant messaging, and online portal dashboards.

President Barack Obama’s mix in the Oval Office of traditional, antique but roomy and practical desk paired with modern indirect lighting and the latest Blackberry smartphone nearby.

Kamailio, whose names comes from two Hawaiian words that mean “to talk or to have a conversation,” is an open source rich communications platform. It is used to assist all types of people and organizations to avoid the high cost of traditional telephone service and to take part in work and play more efficiently.

Have the growing Steam Punk subculture experienced H. G. Wells’ 19th century-ish retro-futuristic invention Time Machine? IBM predicts Steam Punk to be the biggest influence on retail, showing again how human and technology resources shake hands to produce innovation. One cannot simply depend on one or the other resource. They work best together.

ThingWorx’s Machine-to-Machine (M2M) platform enables next generation of application capabilities for Milbank’s smart building and home energy management solutions
Exton, Pa. – February 7, 2013 – ThingWorx™ announced today that Milbank, a leading developer and manufacturer of electrical devices and energy and power management solutions for the residential, commercial, industrial, utility, and transportation sectors, has selected ThingWorx to power its next generation PowerGen™ renewable energy product platform.

Milbank is utilizing the rapid application development tools, analytics engine, and machine-to-machine (M2M) technology provided by the ThingWorx platform to quickly develop the multiple role-based web interfaces and extensibility features for its PowerGen solutions. The combined technologies enable Milbank to provide unmatched versatility and functionality through its PowerGen product platform – simplifying future energy source integration for connected, energy efficient homes.

“ThingWorx’s rapid application development environment and flexible platform allow us to extend our PowerGen solutions in ways that provide the greatest benefits and value for our end users,” stated Chris Buelow, Milbank’s PowerGen general manager. “ThingWorx provided us the speed we needed to develop crucial, robust role-based user interfaces.”

In addition to the ThingWorx rapid application development tools, Milbank’s PowerGen solution leverages ThingWorx’s powerful analytics and search capabilities to further expand the core reporting capabilities offered through its proprietary online interface. Milbank will also use ThingWorx’s patented AlwaysOn connectivity for remote service capabilities, creating additional reliability and optimization.

“Milbank’s solutions represent the latest in innovation for smart buildings and homes, and we are pleased to be selected by them to power their PowerGen line,” stated Russ Fadel, CEO and Co-Founder of ThingWorx. “By certifying their solutions as ThingWorx Ready, Milbank is able to offer completely integrated solutions that take advantage of the latest in technology innovations and further extends the 5X to 10X development efficiency advantage that a ThingWorx-based solution offers.”

About Milbank
Milbank builds solutions that move power for the residential, commercial, industrial, utility and transportation sectors. Milbank combines more than 85 years of expertise in electrical product development with a commitment to advance and globally implement sustainable, integrated power solutions. Milbank’s portfolio includes electric metering systems, PowerGen™ wind and solar solutions, EVSE and portable power. A third-generation, family-owned business, Milbank is headquartered in Kansas City, Mo. For more information, please visit www.milbankworks.com or follow us on Twitter at @MilbankWorks.

About ThingWorx
ThingWorx™ provides the first platform designed to efficiently build and run the applications of today’s connected world. ThingWorx’s model-based design and search-based intelligence reduces application development efforts by 5X to 10X, minimizing cost, risk and time to market. The ThingWorx platform combines the key functionality of Web 2.0, search, and social collaboration, and applies it to the world of “things,” including connected products, machines, sensors, and industrial equipment. Businesses use the ThingWorx platform to rapidly deliver innovative applications and connected solutions across markets ranging from manufacturing, energy, and food, to Machine-to-Machine (M2M) remote monitoring and service, as well as in emerging Internet of Things applications, including smart cities, smart grid, agriculture, and transportation. For more information, please visit our website at www.thingworx.com and our blog at www.thingworx.com/blog or follow us on Twitter at @ThingWorx.

Listen to an M2M podcast between a DIDX.net representative and Russell Fadel at http://www.didx.net/podcast/?p=episode&name=2013-02-07_thingworx_machine2machine.mp3. DIDX is a conference and exhibition media partner and a wholesale SIP DID phone number marketplace.

Inside Facebook has discovered a couple of new features for Facebook’s mobile site. One (in testing) is a recommendation tab for pages. With this feature, the user can write and read recommendations on Pages, similar to a feature launched on the desktop version not too long ago.

Facebook has over 800 million users, so they say. 300 million of them are using Facebook on mobile devices, and that number will only continue to grow, as long as Facebook remains the kind of social networks.

The other feature is the addition of filters on mobile page walls. When a user visits a page, they can switch between all posts and page posts (all meaning including those from users). This has been a feature of the regular desktop version fo the site for a long time, but it hasn’t been an option on mobile.

According to Techbeginners ! The update includes the ability to view the new profile Timeline, Subscribers, Subscriptions, pop-over notifications, and add people to friend lists.

Facebook has just pushed out version 4.1 of its popular iPhone app.

The app feels more responsive, and photos seem to load significantly faster.

Facebook launched Timeline globally a few days ago, but initially it could only be accessed from m.facebook.com and Facebook for Android.

The update will give plenty of exposure to Timeline, as Facebook for iPhone has 99.5 million monthly active users and 57.6 million daily active users, according to AppData.

Facebook for iPhone 4.1 may have been planned to launch alongside the Android update, but could have been delayed by necessary bug fixes.

Its release shows that Facebook isn’t favoring Android mobile development just yet, though its Android app now has more daily active users than its iPhone app.

You may only see Timeline through the app if you’ve already opted into the profile redesign via the web.

Though Facebook for iPhone 4.1 runs on iPad, Facebook says Timeline access for its dedicated iPad app is coming soon.

In 4.1, notifications, messages, and requests now load in partial-screen popovers rather than separate full screens.

These make it easier and faster to return to the previously viewed screen.

The reduced load time for photos will make viewing them a less interruptive part of the news feed browsing experience.

Facebook has also fixed one of the app’s most annoying bugs, where tapping a photo would accidentally load a different photo from the same album.

By clicking on the Friends button beneath someone’s Timeline cover, you can now add them to friend lists (thanks for the tip, MG).

This is especially useful if you accept a new friend request from mobile and want to immediately restrict their access to your content by putting them in a privacy controlled friend list.

There’s still no way to edit a friend list directly, though.

A Subscribed button on the Timeline also lets you select the types and volume of someone’s posts that you see in the news feed great for quieting noisy friends.

The Android app and mobile site added these features on Thursday.

Facebook is the world’s largest social network, with over 500 million users.

fPrivacy is a Chrome plugin that lets you granularly opt out of stalker-esque Facebook app permissions like “Post to my wall” or “Access profile info” whenever the app authorization dialog appears.

Creator Chad Selph made the extension because Facebook apps have been too grabby for far too long taking an all or nothing approach to permissions.

fPrivacy sets those gladhandling apps straight by allowing you to specify which permissions you want to allow versus which you’d like to block.

And the best thing about fPrivacy is that I helped Selphcome up with the logo/name Come on.

Think about it Said Selph somewhere in the process, “Someone from github suggested Defangbook which I also like, because then the logo could have fangs.

I kind of feel like it might be too cutesy or clever or something though.

I’m about 82% convinced on fPrivacy.”

I’m 100% convinced, Chad. fPrivacy for President.

fPrivacy, for when you don’t want some shadyass Facebook app posting to your wall.

But you still want to read your Biotrend Horoscope or whatever.

GfK survey released in October, 39 percent of consumers plan to look to social networks before they make purchases.

Laura O’Shaughnessy, the CEO of Facebook advertising agency Social Code.

Told us that social networks played a large role last year but were expected to play an even bigger role in this year’s shopping season.

The holiday shopping season is in full swing and this year.

Trends show that consumers are heading to social networks to shop.

For the past several years, we’ve seen a growing shift to online shopping,

What we saw last year, and we expect even more of a bang this year, is that social networks are really just key to holiday shopping,” she said.

As a result of this trend, marketers have another area in which to reach consumers.

In order to leveragesocial networks.

O’Shaughnessy told us that marketers should have a clear goal for social networks whether it be to introduce a new product.

To purchase a product, or to increase brand awareness.

Secondly, she said marketers should be very specific in identifying their target audience.

As she explained, social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn make it very easy to target particular groups.

Thirdly, O’Shaughnessy advises marketers to drive an action through their social media effort.

Marketers should, however, make sure that they are taking advantage of the social power of the networks in order to encourage sharing.

If marketers can integrate a gaming aspect to their campaign, the results can be powerful in this way as well.

Facebook is the world’s largest social network with over 700 million users.

Facebook launched its long anticipated iPad application.

The app was notable for two reasons: first, it was the first time the social network offered an official app for Apple’s tablet and second because it included an overhauled UI for Facebook’s immensely popular iPhone app as well.

Now Facebook appears to have brought the same improvements to its Android application, with an update that will soon be rolling out.

The update isn’t showing up for me on Android Market yet.

Based on screenshots in Facebook’s announcement it strongly resembles the iOS applications.

Improvements include persistent messages and notifications on the top of the screen and a nav bar that’s accessible from nearly anywhere within the app.

Facebook’s blog post also says that photos are up to twice as fast in the new version of the Android app.

Blue Rooster a SharePoint consulting firm based in Seattle, is the latest firm to offer a bundle of enhancements to SharePoint’s basic social media components.

This is a market niche where NewsGator is the best known solution that runs directly atop SharePoint, although practically every corporate socialnetworking platform provides some sort of integration with the ubiquitous Microsoft portal and document management system.

The enterprise social media category is getting more attention with Jive Software’s initial public offering plans.

Jive signaled it is ready to move forward with its IPO, updating its Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

With plans to raise up to $117 million through an offering priced at $8 to $10 per share.

Blue Rooster founder and president Kevin Conroy said he respects what Jive has accomplished but thinks he can do better for many customers.

Jive is a great solution, and it’s allowing organizations to be very nimble very agile.

But our message is to organizations that have already invested in SharePoint infrastructure which can be extended to offer the same sorts of features, he said.

Blue Rooster has provided SharePoint customization services to clients including FedEx, Eli Lilly, Abbott Labs, Chevron, and Microsoft, although it does not yet have permission to name specific customers for its enterprise social media offering.

Conroy said. In general, “we’re seeing more and more customers wanting to implement sophisticated collaborative solutions on top of SharePoint,” he said.

The number of options for configuring SharePoint overwhelms a lot of companies,he said, but they are interested in having that Facebook like solution on top of SharePoint.

Common features Sepulveda delivers include an enhanced version of SharePoint MySites, simplified navigation, integration with Microsoft Office.

Web-based access to Office documents and a user interface that works across all the major browsers not just Internet Explorer according to Blue Rooster.

Blue Rooster has packaged the best of what it has delivered to clients on a consulting basis into an offering called Sepulveda named for Sepulveda Boulevard in Conroy’s hometown of Los Angeles.

A 42-mile street that connects many communities.

Blue Rooster is formalizing a consulting offering, rather than creating a packaged product per se and Conroy said Sepulveda is customized for each customer.

The social networking giant is in internal discussions over when to file its IPO papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

People familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.

The filing reportedly could occur as early as this year.

With shares making their debut on the market between April and June 2012.

The company is considering a $10 billion offering that would value the social network at more than $100 billion.

But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has not made any final decisions regarding the size and date of the IPO, the Journal reports.

Facebook representatives declined to comment on the report.

Speculation about a Facebook IPO began in 2009 when it modified its stock structure to make a public filing easier.

However, not long after rumors began circulating that the company would go public this year, a Bloomberg report claimed Facebook wasn’t even considering the possibility of an IPO until 2012 at the earliest.

And just this month Business Insider suggested an IPO filing may hit the wires soon, possibly in January.

he social network may not have much of a choice about whether it wants to go public.

A clause in the 1934 Securities and Exchange Act requires private companies to release quarterly financial data when they have 500 or more owners a milestone Facebook was expected to pass this year.

In January, when Facebook and Goldman Sachs struck a deal to raise $500 million.

The social network said it “expected to pass 500 shareholders at some point in 2011, and therefore expects to start filing public financial reports no later than April 30, 2012.

A $100 billion valuation would make Facebook one of the most valuable tech companies.

Although far behind the tech leader Apple’s current valuation of $362 billion.

Facebook would trump tech veterans Cisco Systems’ $96 billion and Hewlett-Packard’s $52 billion.

The report comes as the tech IPO market has been experiencing a thaw of sorts.

Daily deals provider Groupon went public earlier this month and closed up 30 percent the first day (although its share price has since settled back to its IPO price).

This new development in the Skype Facebook partnership is the latest example of how Skype is removing communication barriers and making it easier to connect with friends, family and business colleagues.

Facebook video calling powered by Skype was launched.

Skype announce our partnership with Facebook has reached yet another milestone with the launch of Skype 5.4 Beta for Mac and Skype 5.7 Beta for Windows allowing you to conduct a Facebook to Facebook call from within Skype.

Our approach to social is about personal connections with people.

We are on a mission to connect over one billion people and our continued partnership with Facebook brings us one step closer to this goal.

Initiating a Facebook to Facebook call from within Skype is quite easy all you need to do is connect your Skype and Facebook accounts.

Then, select a Facebook friend and hit the video call button in Skype your friend simply picks up the call from Facebook.

This new feature lets you maintain social connections with your Facebook friends and compliments previously announced features such as being able to see when your Facebook friends are online.